Banihāl Pass

Banihāl Pass, pass in the Pīr Panjāl Range in the Indian-held sector of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. Banihāl—a name that in Kashmīrī means “blizzard”—lies at an altitude of 9,290 ft (2,832 m) in the Doda district. It forms the main gateway to the Vale of Kashmir from the Indian plains. The Jammu–Srīnagar road enters the pass through the Jawahar Tunnel, which is occasionally blocked by snow in winter. Goods formerly crossed the pass on the backs of porters, who made the journey in a day.